Our Michaels has switched over. I went in with my daughter looking for iron on’s, so I didn’t get a chance to see what they had in yarns. However, I couldn’t find the section. I asked an associate as we were checking out. She told me it was behind her and pointed to this tiny corner. I think the yarn section was half the size it used to be.
[COLOR=“DarkOrchid”]I do hope they are going to do something about their total inadequate supply of needles - especially DPN’s. They seem to carry very few of them especially the longer types - like 8 or 10"s.
TEMA[/COLOR]
I ate something I shouldn’t have and couldn’t go to work, too bad because the store manager was there and I could’ve asked him about the new yarn section. But based on what I already know about Michael’s from working there, well, I wouldn’t expect much from this yarn section. Most of the stuff at Michael’s is reasonably “affordable” a.k.a. cheap to the mass market. That’s how it can afford to do the type of business it does, by carrying stuff that isn’t so high end that the high prices would drive casual artists and crafters away. So I doubt they’ll come up with a yarn that’s so nice that it’ll be expensive and the casual knitters won’t buy it.
And maybe it’s just my store, but we don’t sell very much yarn or needles as compared to all the other stuff in the store. The only time I see people buying the yarn is when we have some major sales going on and I have yet to see anyone on my watch buy any needles. I think the casual knitters make do with whatever cheap acrylic stuff that’s on the shelves while the serious knitters complain about the lousy selection and buy online or go somewhere else.
I see your point…and I have also heard the point “it is cheap, you get what you pay for” which I understand…
But I have to wonder…if you are going to put your (in the case the company) name on something, does it not stand to reason that it should be a good enough quality to feel good about. I would hate to put my name to something that would get more than its fair share of complaint letters…even if it does sell for its price…
I don’t know…I am of two minds…Either way…for the most point…I know I will not buy certain lines of these yarns simply on reputation alone!
I don’t think mass market local yarn stores will ever carry the types of high end and specialty yarns that most serious knitters’ patterns ask for. They’re far too expensive for the general demographic, which is casual to beginning knitters. At my store, I see the acrylic stuff sell when we have sales. I hardly ever see the suede or wool or pure cotton being sold, even when we have sales. Even the sock yarn on clearance takes a while to sell, and I know that yarn’s not fancy. It’s like I said before: serious knitters usually buy their yarn online because their LYS wouldn’t have that kind of yarn, why? Too expensive for the general public. Which is why they won’t create any yarn line they doubt most of their customers could afford. If at all this line has any natural fibers in it, I would think it’ll be no more than 10-15% and will be mostly an acrylic blend.
It could be something like Yarn Bee, which is Hobby Lobby’s signature yarn. Which btw is on clearance at my local store because no one wanted 4 ounces of it at $4.99 per skein.
That’s true, anyone shopping at Michaels is looking for the inexpensive acrylics if they’re buying yarn. Most people I know have never used anything but acrylic and wouldn’t know what to do with it if you couldn’t throw it in the washer/dryer, nor would they pay more than $2-$3 for a skein of yarn, expecting it to be at least 300 yards. (aka Red Heart) In this economy it’s probably not a good idea to try out the higher end yarns.
It could be something like Yarn Bee, which is Hobby Lobby’s signature yarn. Which btw is on clearance at my local store because no one wanted 4 ounces of it at $4.99 per skein.
There are many different Yarn Bee yarns, not all of them are being closed out. HL is discontinuing some of them, mostly the fuzzy/furry ones as are other stores and manufacturers. A few years ago when that was the newest thing in knitting, a lot of it sold. But now the manufacturers are turning to sock and natural fiber yarns because that’s where they see the trend.
I talked to the clerks and Michaels is setting up a new yarn dept due in May.
Quilter64
I recently asked a clerk at Michaels about their yarn dept. and was told they are redesigning it and it should be open in May. I myself am looking forward to seeing what they are going to give us.
Quilter64:-P ]
I live in Michigan, about 30 or so miles outside Detroit and a mile from Michaels.
They’ve been having these signs in the yarn dept. for a few months now, announcing their new yarn dept. It was suppose to be done by May and it is the middle of May now and I don’t see ONE thing differant yet, so I wish they’d hurry!
But I like Michaels. The yarn dept is at least 3 or 4 isles big and they have all differant kinds of yarn already…wool, acrilyic, swede, silk, hemp etc and I’m sure it’s all a lot cheaper than the lys.
sue
It won’t take that long to create a new yarn section Suziblues. All they have to do is wait till the truck arrives, schedule some poor sods to work the freight shift that starts at 4 a.m. to unload the truck, schedule more poor sods to work 8 or 9 hours shifts where all they do is move everything, open boxes, place yarn in the new section, and they’re done (all of this usually takes no more than a day to two to do). My guess is the new yarn won’t get there till the end of April and be set up by the beginning of May. What that yarn consists of remains to be seen.
Yeah, my store manager isn’t sure when the yarn is coming in. 9_9 Makes me sad. I’d ask the other store manager (from a different province) who’s been hanging around, but she’s a b*tch, so screw that. I’m not desparate for this information.
And cresmoon, at our Michaels, I notice that the sock yarn seems to go in the nicer colors and they all that is left is this ugly variegated stuff that is too busy to do a nice pattern in. 
This happens and we’re not restocking just when I find nice patterns I want to try. Will probably get ugly stuff and do a basic sock to learn.
Color me crazy, but, is Michigan on a daylight savings calendar or sumthin? :p:p
Ha. I don’t actually rely on Michael’s for yarn, but anyways, many people do. What do they mean when they say “redoing?”
And just saying, but anyone who has sock yarn at their local Michael’s is SO lucky. All we have here is furry, worsted weight yarn in crazy colors and other yarn ONLY in worsted weight.
Went to work at Michael’s today and this is what I’ve found out: we’re now slowly clearing out some more of the yarn but not all of it. Some of the wool stuff and lesser-selling brands are on clearance (probably because we’re discontinuing it, like the hideous neon-colored Caron’s Simply Soft yarn colors). My manager told me the new yarn is coming “any day now” but has no idea what it is. She also had no idea what the Michael’s yarn would be like. But if you’d like to buy some of the Paton’s wool yarn, along with sock yarn and some of the Bernat, it should be on clearance prices which aren’t too bad. I’m going back myself to do some shopping soon as I can.
Erm, it’s only the middle of April right now, not May, so give them a few more weeks…
My Michaels was the same way this weekend, it looked like a hurricane and gone through it. I hope they are not going to go with all yarn made specifically for them, I don’t think you get as much variety. I went into HobbyLobby and that is what they did exactly. “I Love Yarn” is there brand name. It is okay, but I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the choices so far. Leslie
I think you may have turned too many pages on your calendar. :teehee: Or else I’m a month behind… :??
:noway: Those are great colors for children’s clothing! The love the bright colors. :shrug:
Simply Soft Brites GRAPE Simply Soft Brites WATERMELON
I have no issues with the colors you used for your sweaters, but the bright orange and bright green colors are just painful. But to each their own. 